NEWS

Man pleads not guilty in toddler's death

Sam Hemingway
Free Press Staff Writer

Joshua M. Blow appeared tired and distraught in Vermont Superior Court on Friday at his arraignment hearing, several times taking deep breaths during the proceeding.

Joshua M. Blow, 26, appears in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington Friday. He pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of two-year-old Aiden Haskins.

As a packed gallery of onlookers watched in Judge Alison Arms courtroom, Blow, 26, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the death of a two-year-old Shelburne toddler earlier this week.

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The child, Aiden Haskins, died of blunt force trauma to the head and neck, as well as skull fractures and broken vertebrae, according to court papers and information from the state medical examiner's office.

Chittenden County State's Attorney T.J. Donovan, speaking with reporters outside the courtroom after the hearing, said Blow was the only person who was with Aiden when the injuries occurred.

Blow was not Aiden's father, but he was boyfriend of the mother, Ashley A. Stewart, who had left for work less than an hour earlier. Blow was the only person in the home when the child was fatally injured, Donovan said.

"He gave five different accounts about what occurred," Donovan said of Blow. "He never denied ... he was responsible for the death but gave conflicting versions about how the child died."

"The force of the injuries to this two-year-old baby are completely inconsistent with any accident, which is essentially Mr. Blow's defense in this case," Donovan said. "This was not an accident. This was intentional."

Aiden's death is the third involving a child two years old or younger in Vermont this year who succumbed to violent abuse. It's the second such case in Chittenden County.

The first two, in Poultney and Winooski, involved children who had previously been in state custody. In the case of Dezirae Sheldon of Poultney, her stepfather Dennis Duby has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. In the case of Peighton Geraw of Winooski, his mother Nytosha LaForce has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.

Donovan said the deaths are deeply troubling and underline the need for a greater effort to identify at-risk situations and help prospective parents who might have drug or other problems get help as a way to prevent child abuse.

"Everybody in this state should be outraged," Donovan said. "I think what we're seeing is some consequences of not being as pro-active as we should."

Donovan said that Stewart told investigators the Department for Children and Families was in contact with her around the time of the Aiden's birth but not afterward.

Donovan said Blow has "a history with drugs" but that it was unclear whether Blow was using drugs when the injuries to Aiden occurred.

According to a police affidavit filed with the court, Stewart told police Blow used narcotics, most recently on July 4, and could "snap" when he was using.

Blow's criminal record shows two arrests on minor drug possession charges and a 2013 felony conviction in Florida for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.

A police officer enters 67 Hunter’s Way in Shelburne, seen on Thursday, where two-year old Aidan Haskins lived with his mother Ashley Stewart and her boyfriend Joshua Blow.

The incident involving Aiden took place early Tuesday morning at a home at 67 Hunters Way in Shelburne where Blow was living with Stewart. The couple had been in a relationship for about six months, the affidavit said.

Stewart left for work at 6:45 a.m. Tuesday and Blow told police he awoke shortly afterward, picked up Aiden from his bed and carried him into the kitchen.

Blow's explanation for what happened changed several times during his interviews with police, the affidavit said.

First, Blow said he tripped over a cat and landed on top of Aiden as they each fell to the floor.

Later, he changed the story to say he only partially fell on top of Aiden, that he tripped and fell on Aiden in the bathroom, dropped Aiden while coming up the basement stairs and, finally, that he dropped Aiden while going down the basement stairs, the affidavit said.

Blow told police that he realized Aiden was hurt when he saw the child's eyes start to close. Blow called Stewart, who told him to get help, so Blow ran next door to the home of Stewart's parents. Jay Stewart Sr., Stewart's father, quickly called 911 at 7:35 a.m.

"Shelburne Police Officers Mike Thomas and Josh Flore arrived first at 7:39 hours," the affidavit said. "They found Aiden laying unresponsive on a porch swing ... Blow was performing CPR on Aiden."

The child was transported to Fletcher Allen Health Care at 8 a.m. and died at 11:28 a.m. after doctors tried in vain to keep him alive.

Blow, Stewart, plus several family members and police officers were in the hospital room when Aiden died, the affidavit said.

The investigation into Aiden's death is continuing. Friday afternoon, police were seen on the 67 Hunters Way property in Shelburne. A reporter and photographer from the Burlington Free Press were turned away from the home, where officials said they were doing follow-up work.

Members of the family did not wish to speak with reporters, police on scene said.

Blow was initially held by police on an outstanding warrant for his arrest from Florida. He was released on Wednesday, while Aiden's autopsy was being conducted and was arrested Thursday afternoon after additional questioning by detectives with the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations.

"CUSI ... should be credited with doing an outstanding job in this investigation," Donovan said.

Blow is being held without bail pending a bail hearing scheduled for next Friday.

Contact Sam Hemingway at 660-1850 or shemingway@freepressmedia.com. Follow Sam on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SamuelHemingway.